Reflector for combined speaking-tubes and elevators



(No Model.)

B. H. PEAGOOK. EEELEoToE FOR COMBINED SPEAKING TUBES AND ELEVATORS.

No. 599,010. Patented Feb. 15, 1898.

n: nouns PETER! 50.. mumxuwo WASNINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT HOlYELL PEACOOK, OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

REFLECTOR FOR COMBINED SPEAKING-TUBES AND ELEVATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,010, dated February 15, 1898.

Application filed s t b II 1897. Serial No. 651,368. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT HOWELL PEA- COOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Muscogee and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reflectors for Combined Speaking-Tubes and Elevators; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in dumb-elevators, and especially to the construction of a Waiter which is provided with means whereby persons located in different stories of a building may see each other as they stand at the elevator-openings and by the peculiar construction of my invention hear each others conversation more readily than with ordinary elevators of a like nature.

More specifically the present invention consists in the provision of an elevator-box of a size adapted to receive a small article which carries near its lower end and forming the bottom thereof a reflecting mirror loosely held on cleats at the bottom of the box, which reflector is caused to tilt as the box is lowered, thus disposing the mirror at such an angle that the person who looks down the elevator-shaft can easily see the person who may be in front of the opening to the elevator-box at the lower .end of the shaft, as well as the person below can see the person above, and by causing the reflector to be tilted at an angle the same will serve as a means for reflecting the voice, making it possible for the personsto hear each other while speaking in a low tone.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the same consists, further, in the novel construction, combination, and adaptation of the parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in which-- Figure l is a perspective View of my invention, showing the elevator-box at the lower end of the shaft. Fig. 2 is a central vertical sectional view through the box, mirror, and angle-block. Fig. 3 is a detail View of means for winding up the slack rope provided to operate the elevator-box.

Reference 'now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates the elevator-shaft, which may extend up through two or more stories of a building and is made of any suitable size, preferably about six or eight inches square, it being the purpose of the present invention to elevate small articles, packages in offices, stores, &c., or when not utilized for this purpose to serve as a means for communicating between persons in different stories, whenthe different persons may look into each others eyes while conversing.

The elevator-boxes B, which may be made with proper specifications at a factory all ready for an elevator-shaft, are of such a size to snugly fit the shaft, and the box is open at its top and has ropes 0 connected to the same which pass up over a suitable pulley at the upper end of the elevator-shaft. If desired, a weighted member may be secured to the other end of the rope to counterbalance the weight of the box. One side or a portion of one side of the said box is left open, through which access may be had to the interior of the same, and an opening B is left in the bottom of the box, so as to allow the box to set down over the angle member D, whichis provided to tilt the mirror E as the box is lowered down over the said member. The mirror E rests loosely on inwardly-projecting flanges and forms the bottom of the box and easily tilts to an angle preferably of forty-five degrees when the box is seated at the bottom of the elevator shaft. If preferred, other means may be employed for tilting the mirror with out departing from the spirit of the present invention, and I do not limit myself to any precise construction of tilting means.

In order to take up the slack of the elevator-rope when a weight is not used, a pulley may be employed, as seen at K, which has a spring L 011 one side secured thereto and so arranged that by letting the box down the cord unwinds and the spring is brought under tension. The object of the spring is to take up slack rope as the box is elevated and prevent the cord from getting tangled.

The operation of the present invention and its merits will be readily understood from the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim to be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A reflecting dumb-waiter comprising a Waiter-box mounted in a suitable elevatorshaft, an elevating-rope secured to said box, and a reflector loosely held in the box and adapted to be tilted at an angle as the box is lowered.

2. A reflecting dumb-waiter, consisting of the elevator box and shaft and elevating-rope secured to said box, combined with a reflecting-mirror loosely held in said box, and a projecting member against which the mirror strikes to tilt the same as the box is lowered to the bottom of the shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. A reflecting dumb-waiter, consisting of the box with hoisting-rope, mounted in a suitable elevator-shaft, a reflecting-mirror resting loosely on inwardly projecting flanges of said box and forming a bottom therefor, combined with an angle-block secured to the bottom of the shaft and designed to pass through an aperture in the bottom of the box and tilt the mirror, as the box is lowered to the bottom of the shaft,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT HOWELL PEAOOCK.

WVitnesses:

W. H. McORoRY, G. W. HURST. 

